Page:A hairdresser's experience in high life.djvu/24

26 valets and bonnes came to pass the evening with me. My lady enjoyed the scene very heartily, and was not in the least deterred from expressing her satisfaction even by the furious scowls of her husband, who was averse to all comfort and contentment except his own. The company did not break up until a late hour; and altogether, it was one of the happiest events of my life.

Not long after this, I had a dispute with Mr. about my wages. When we left America, he agreed to pay me two dollars per week. Having spent all the money I brought with me, I one day asked him for the amount due me. He refused to give it to me, saying I need never expect to get any more from him than Paris wages. I was very indignant, and told him, in very plain words, what I thought of his conduct. Of course, after this scene, I left the gentleman's service.

I was sick of France, and longed for home; but did not yet leave Paris. I entered the service of the Countess M., as maid to herself, daughter, and young son, about ten years of age. A few weeks of leisure before going into this family, however, gave me an opportunity of enjoying many of the amusements of Paris—concerts, balls, hippodromes, theaters, operas, and fetes champetre, without number. No people love this latter amusement more than the French. I became very fond of it, and always regretted when I could not attend one. On one occasion particularly, I lamented being deprived (by arriving too late for the cars) attending a splendid fete champetre at Versailles: but it was well I did not go, as the whole train, by an accident, was destroyed by fire, and all